Bachelor's Degree
Undergraduate
Bring out the biggest potential from the smallest desks. Find your fearless.
The Exceptional Child program in early childhood special education prepares you to work with students with exceptional learning needs. These children need teachers with specialized skill sets. You’ll have multiple field-based courses where you will work in classrooms with infants/toddlers, preschoolers, and elementary-aged children.
The early childhood special education program prepares students for the classroom through coursework on campus and fieldwork within schools. In addition, you’ll be prepared to integrate technology into your classroom as a beginning teacher.
Your education is just one piece to launching an extraordinary career. Once you’ve mastered the material, you still have to find the job you want, make the right connections, and sell your knowledge and experience—and if all this is giving you anxiety, don’t panic. SEMO’s Career Services office is here to help you with the next step. They’ll provide the expertise and support you need, so you’ll land your dream job in no time.
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Explore the courses you'll need to complete your degree
$69k 
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the mean annual salary for an elementary school teacher is $69,790.
$70k
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the mean annual salary for a middle school teacher is $70,040.
$70k
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the mean annual salary for a special education teacher is $70,150.
As an exceptional child: early childhood special education major, you’ll learn to meet the rigor of teacher education in a supportive environment with faculty who have extensive classroom experience themselves. You’ll complete a minimum of 120 credit hours to complete this degree, including the general education requirements and at least 39 senior division hours.
Elementary Education students must be admitted to the Educator Preparation Program prior to enrolling in upper division (300 level or above) education courses.
A grade of ‘C’ or better is required in education courses. A grade of ‘B’ is required in ED280.
Some courses may also meet General Education requirements.
NOTE: All pre-education courses are prerequisites to all Education courses.
NOTE: This program includes the course work for add-on certification in Elementary Education (1st–6th grades).
*Students who score less than 22 on the ACT math subscore must also take MA018 lab support
Some requirements may be fulfilled by coursework in major program.
Early – explore the role of educators before you commit to the degree
Mid-level – exceptional child: early childhood special education majors do field experiences with infants/toddlers, preschoolers, kindergarteners, and elementary aged students; field experiences are connected to education coursework.
Student Teaching – semester long, co-teaching capstone experience in an early childhood classroom (PreK-3rd grade).
Milestone: Maintain 3.0 GPA in content courses; Passing score MoGEA or ACT
Literacy Block
Content Block
Milestone: Maintain 3.0 GPA in content courses and 3.0 GPA in education courses
Advanced Block
Student Teaching Block
Milestone: Passing score MO Content Exams and MEES; 3.0 GPA in content courses
Do more than dream about the future. Take the first steps to make it all happen.
SEMO has started an EDvolution®. It’s our tech-ready promise to prepare majors to use and integrate instructional technology in the classroom, so early childhood special education students can do so seamlessly in their classrooms as beginning teachers. All students in Educator Preparation Programs must have a device, i.e. laptop, or iPad, for use during the program.
As an early childhood special education major, you can choose to participate in Tomorrow’s Teachers Learning Community. This is Special Interest Housing comprised of groups of students with a shared academic interest either on the same floor or within the same residence hall. These communities provide students an opportunity to challenge and shape their personal and professional identities. They build community with programming designed by faculty and staff from their academic area and Residence Life staff. It gives you the opportunity to know, support, and collaborate with others to help in your academic and personal success.
With an early childhood education degree, you’re prepared for a career focused on students birth through eight years as a teacher, childcare director, counselor, or nanny.
Bachelor's Degree
Undergraduate
Main Campus - Cape
Regional Campus - Kennett
Regional Campus - Sikeston
With an elementary education degree, you’re prepared for a teaching career of general education courses for grades 1-6.
Bachelor's Degree
Undergraduate
Main Campus - Cape
Regional Campus - Kennett
Regional Campus - Sikeston
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Certificate
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Bachelor's Degree
Undergraduate
Main Campus - Cape
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Bachelor's Degree
Undergraduate
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